1. Field of the Invention
Systems and methods for processing samples with acoustic energy are generally disclosed.
2. Related Art
A number of methods exist for isolating a small (e.g., microscopic) amount of cells and/or tissue (e.g., histochemically stained) from a larger section of tissue. One popular method of isolation is laser capture microdissection. Laser capture microdissection involves the use of a laser (e.g., ultraviolet pulsed laser, infrared laser) in combination with a microscope, for identifying the region of tissue to be isolated, and focusing the laser onto certain portions of the tissue sample to “dissect” the identified region of tissue to be isolated, from the remaining tissue. The laser is positioned (e.g., by movement of the laser optics and/or the stage of the microscope) and focused in a manner so as to expose a region of cells and/or tissue of interest to the laser radiation.
Due to the application of laser radiation, the particular region of interest is separated from the remaining tissue, for example, by directly cutting the tissue and facilitating transfer of the selected region of interest from one surface to another. Transfer of tissue may occur through a number of ways, such as 1) by using the laser to make an incision that separates different regions of tissue; 2) by modulating the laser to generate a photonic force that propels a selected region of tissue off of the slide and toward a collecting container or substrate; 3) by relying on gravity to allow a separated region of tissue to fall into a collecting container or substrate; and/or 4) by using an adhesive material (e.g., membrane) to pick the separated region of tissue up from the original slide.
Laser capture microdissection has been used as a method of collecting selected cells for DNA, RNA and/or protein analyses, and is performed on a variety of tissue samples including blood smears, cytologic preparations, cell cultures and aliquots of solid tissue, frozen tissue, and formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues. However the use of laser capture microdissection often results in an undesirable increase in radiation exposure, temperature and/or damage to the tissue that is isolated.